Daniel (Greek) 13:28-35: a reflection

28It came to pass on the next day, when the people assembled to her husband Joakim, the two elders came full of their wicked intent against Susanna to put her to death, 29and said before the people, “Send for Susanna, the daughter of Helkias, Joakim’s wife.” So they sent; 30and she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred. 31Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beautiful to behold. 32These wicked men commanded her to be unveiled, for she was veiled, that they might be filled with her beauty. 33Therefore her friends and all who saw her wept. 34Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people and laid their hands upon her head. 35She, weeping, looked up toward heaven; for her heart trusted in the Lord.

Susanna, a woman of integrity, has been falsely accused by two wicked elders whose advances she refused; and now she stands before the assembly, condemned on their lying testimony, facing death. She is powerless to prove her innocence; the accusers are respected men, and their word is believed. But notice what she does in her helplessness: weeping, she looks up toward heaven, for her heart trusted in the Lord. Unable to defend herself, she turns her eyes to God, and trusts him.

Notice Susanna's response to being falsely accused and unable to defend herself: she looks to God and trusts him. She could not clear her name; the lie was believed, and she seemed doomed. But she did not curse God, or despair; she looked up to heaven, and her heart trusted in the Lord, entrusting to him the vindication she could not achieve herself. When every human defense failed, she rested her cause in God's hands.

That trust in God when falsely accused and powerless to defend ourselves is a hard but precious faith. There are times when we are wrongly accused, and cannot clear our names; when the lie is believed and we are helpless to prove our innocence. In such times, we can be tempted to despair, or to bitter rage. But Susanna shows another way: to look up to God and trust him, entrusting to him the vindication we cannot achieve. When you are falsely accused and cannot defend yourself, do not despair or give way to bitterness; look up to God, as Susanna did, and trust him with your cause. God sees the truth that others cannot or will not see; entrust your vindication to him, who judges justly, rather than despairing when your own defense fails. The God to whom Susanna looked in her helplessness is able to vindicate the innocent in his time; trust him with what you cannot prove yourself.

Lord, Susanna, falsely accused by wicked men and powerless to prove her innocence, facing death on their lies, looked up toward heaven, for her heart trusted in you. Give me that hard but precious faith for when I am falsely accused and cannot defend myself. There are times when I am wrongly accused, and cannot clear my name; when the lie is believed and I am helpless to prove my innocence. In such times, I can be tempted to despair, or to bitter rage. But Susanna shows me another way: to look up to you and trust you, entrusting to you the vindication I cannot achieve. When I am falsely accused and cannot defend myself, keep me from despairing or giving way to bitterness; help me look up to you, as Susanna did, and trust you with my cause. You see the truth that others cannot or will not see; help me entrust my vindication to you, who judge justly, rather than despairing when my own defense fails. You, to whom Susanna looked in her helplessness, are able to vindicate the innocent in your time; help me trust you with what I cannot prove myself. I look up to you, Lord.